Riga mayor has no intention to resign following Latvian prime minister

RIGA, November 27, 20:25 /ITAR-TASS/. Riga Mayor Nil Ushakov does not intend to resign following Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, who decided to step down over the tragedy at the shopping centre Maxima.

“Since last Thursday I faced many tasks: support a rescue operation, support the families of demised people and injured people, give the all-round help to the detectives that the culprits in the tragedy were caught and punished and to attain systemic changes in the sphere of construction,” the Riga mayor said in a statement on Wednesday. “Five months ago (at municipal elections) I was supported by more than 58 percent of voters, I do not believe that their interests will be presented better, if I resign,” Ushakov noted.

The walls and the roof collapsed at the shopping centre Maxima in Riga on November 21. As many as 54 people died, 39 more people were injured in the tragedy.